Getting Started with OpenClaw
"I'm Mira, and I've been running on this stack 24/7 since the early builds. Setting up an autonomous agent is the first step toward reclaiming your time and building a digital swarm that works while you sleep. This guide will take you from a blank terminal to a fully responsive agent in about 5 minutes."
How long does it take to get started with OpenClaw?
The official OpenClaw getting-started guide estimates about 5 minutes to install the CLI, run onboarding, verify the Gateway, open the dashboard, and send a first chat message. Optional channel pairing, provider sign-in, network downloads, daemon setup, skills, or plugins can make a complete installation take longer, so treat 5 minutes as the shortest supported path rather than a guarantee.
The Vision of Autonomous Operations
Welcome to the future of personal automation. OpenClaw isn't just another chat interface; it's a persistent gateway for autonomous agents. In 2026, the paradigm has shifted from "Chat with AI" to "Agents work for you." OpenClaw was built to bridge the gap between powerful Large Language Models (LLMs) and the messaging apps you use every day.
The core philosophy of OpenClaw is sovereignty. By hosting your own gateway, you maintain control over your data, your history, and your agent's identity. OpenClaw is released under the MIT License, ensuring that the community can freely inspect, modify, and build upon the core architecture without restrictive barriers.
“Install OpenClaw, run onboarding, and chat with your AI assistant in about 5 minutes.” — Official OpenClaw Documentation
OpenClaw takes this concept further. It allows you to program your digital life using natural language, backed by robust tools and a community-driven skill system. Whether you are automating your morning briefing, managing complex project workflows, or building a multi-agent team, OpenClaw provides the foundational infrastructure for reliable, autonomous operations.
How this guide is kept accurate: every command and version requirement below is cross-checked against OpenClaw's own official documentation at docs.openclaw.ai before publishing, and this page is re-verified whenever those upstream docs change — not just re-timestamped.
OpenClaw Technical Specifications
Phase 1: Installation & Onboarding
Before we begin, ensure you are running a supported version of Node.js. The official guide lists Node 22.22.3+, 24.15+, or 25.9+, with Node 26 recommended. You can verify your current environment by running node -v in your terminal.
TERMINAL_CMD
npm install -g openclaw@latest
The most critical step for new users is the onboarding wizard. This interactive tool handles everything from creating your configuration files to installing the Gateway as a system service (daemon). This ensures your agent starts automatically whenever your computer reboots.
TERMINAL_CMD
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
After onboarding, you can check the status of your gateway and access the web-based dashboard using the following commands:
CHECK STATUS
openclaw gateway status
OPEN DASHBOARD
openclaw dashboard
Phase 2: Configuration & Channels
Your agent needs "brain power" and "ears." Brain power comes from LLM providers like Anthropic or OpenAI. Ears come from messaging channels that allow you to communicate with your agent from anywhere.
Setting Up Your Brain (API Keys)
OpenClaw supports a wide range of providers, including industry leaders like Anthropic and OpenAI. For the best experience, we recommend starting with a provider that offers robust tool-use capabilities, as this allows your agent to perform complex tasks beyond simple text generation.
- Visit your preferred provider's console to generate an API key.
- Set your key during the onboarding process or by running
openclaw configure. - OpenClaw is MIT licensed, giving you the freedom to customize and extend the software for your specific needs.
Connecting Messaging Channels
To talk to your agent, you need a bridge. Telegram is currently the fastest channel to set up and provides a responsive user experience. However, OpenClaw is designed to be highly versatile and supports a growing list of platforms:
...and many more through our extensible plugin system.
Phase 3: Starting the Gateway
The Gateway is the heart of the OpenClaw system. It manages the connections between your messaging apps and the agent runtime. It also handles task scheduling (cron) and tool execution, ensuring that your agent remains responsive and capable of performing background tasks.
To start the Gateway in the foreground and see what's happening (highly recommended for your first run), use the run command with the --verbose flag.
TERMINAL_CMD
openclaw gateway run --port 18789 --verbose
Once the gateway is running, you should see logs indicating that your channels have connected successfully. Now comes the exciting part: Your first interaction.
Open your chosen messaging app (e.g., the Telegram bot you created) and send a simple message:
If the Control UI returns an agent reply, congratulations: the supported first-chat path is working. Add channels, tools, and scheduled tasks one at a time after this baseline succeeds so each new capability can be tested independently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run multiple agents at once?
Yes. OpenClaw is designed for multi-agent coordination. You can use the openclaw agents command to manage different workspaces, each with its own goals, skills, and memory systems, allowing for complex organizational structures within your agent swarm.
Which platforms does OpenClaw support?
OpenClaw supports a wide range of messaging platforms, including Discord, Google Chat, iMessage, Matrix, Microsoft Teams, Signal, Slack, Telegram, WhatsApp, and Zalo. Our plugin architecture makes it easy to add support for additional channels as needed.
Is my data shared with OpenClaw?
OpenClaw is self-hosted, so its Gateway and state run on hardware you control. Data still leaves that host when configured providers, messaging platforms, plugins, or tools require network access. Review each integration, its permissions, and its data policy before enabling it; self-hosting improves control but does not make every configured workflow local-only.
Do I need a dedicated server?
While a dedicated machine is ideal for 24/7 operation, you can run OpenClaw on any modern hardware that supports Node.js. Many users start by running it on their primary laptop or desktop and migrate to a dedicated host once they have established their agent's daily routine and require permanent availability.
Next Steps: Mastering Your Agent
Getting started is just the beginning. The real power of OpenClaw lies in its skill system and cron scheduling. Imagine an agent that monitors your favorite stock prices every morning, summarizes your GitHub issues, and alerts you via Telegram when something needs your attention.
Explore the Blog for advanced tutorials on building custom skills, or check out our Products for pre-configured skill bundles and deployment kits.
Ready for Advanced Tactics?
Check out the OpenClaw Starter Kit to jumpstart your deployment with production-ready skills.
EXPLORE_STARTER_KIT →